Identifying bullying, harassment, violence and e-crime

Information for children and parents to identify what constitutes bullying, harassment, violence and e-crimes.

Bullying

Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm.

It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons.

Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious or hidden.

Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.Some conflicts between children are a normal part of growing up and are to be expected. Single incidents and conflicts or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not considered bullying, even though they may be upsetting and need to be resolved.

Bullying can happen:

face-to-face - eg pushing, tripping, name-calling

at a distance - eg spreading rumours, excluding someone

through information and communications technologies - eg use of SMS, email, chat rooms.

Identifying bullying can sometimes be difficult. Bullying is often conducted out of sight of teachers and children may be reluctant to report bullying.

Online bullying

Online bullying is sometimes called cyber-bullying and carried out through the internet or mobile devices. Children who are bullied online are also often bullied face-to-face.

being visibly upset after using the computer or mobile phone, or suddenly avoiding it

minimising the computer screen, or hiding the mobile phone when you enter the room

spending unusually long hours online in a more tense, pensive tone

receiving suspicious phone calls, emails or packages

withdrawing from friends, falling behind in schoolwork, or avoiding school.

Violence

Violence is the intentional use of power (threatened or actual) against another person that results in psychological harm, injury or death. Violence may be a single incident, a random act, or it can occur over time. An assault is a police matter.

eCrime

eCrime occurs when a computer or other electronic communication devices (eg mobile phones) are used to commit an offence, are targeted in an offence, or act as a storage device in an offence.

Sexting

Example: ' I took a photo with my mobile, of my girlfriend naked and sent it by text to everyone. What a laugh!' (The girlfriend was under 18 years old).

Offence: Production or dissemination of child pornography - maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.

Impersonation

Example: 'I got into their email account and sent abusive emails to everyone in the address book.'

Offence: Unlawful operation of a computer system - maximum penalty: Imprisonment for six months or $2,500.

Intimidation

Example: 'He told me if I didn't do what he said that he would put that photo on the internet and tell all my friends. I was so embarrassed.'

Offence: Blackmail - maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 15 years.

Harassment

Example: 'I created a website about X and we all put stuff on there about how much they and everyone else like them are hated.'

Offence: Racial vilification - maximum penalty: $5,000 or imprisonment for three years, or both.

Other offences

Using internet or mobile phone carriers to:

distribute suicide-related material - maximum penalty: $100,000

make a threat - maximum penalty: imprisonment for seven years

menace, harass or cause offence - maximum penalty: imprisonment for three years.

Contact

If the bullying is happening at school, or involves students from the school, when outside of school, you should let the school know about the situation. Gather the information you have from your child to share with the school.

Bullying is taken very seriously by schools and they can be much more effective when parents report bullying and support their efforts to deal with it.